Overview

• The UFC middleweight title fight between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev is set for Aug. 16 at Chicago’s United Center.
• Chimaev arrived in Chicago and passed his first fight-week obligation, quelling concerns after nearly pulling out due to a camp health scare.
• Bookmakers list Chimaev as a -220 favorite versus Du Plessis at +180, signaling a shift in wagering toward the unbeaten contender.
• Khabib Nurmagomedov and Alexander Volkanovski have urged Chimaev to strike to conserve energy, and Georges St-Pierre withheld his prediction, underscoring tactical uncertainty.
• A UFC-released video of their first face-off highlighted Chimaev’s size advantage and sparked fan reactions that some are changing their picks.